TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — One has already set the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie record for touchdown passes. The other is on the verge of doing the same for the Buffalo Bills.

Mike Glennon and EJ Manuel are friends who've known each other since high school and their days as roommates during the 2007 Elite 11 competition for prep quarterbacks.

Both grew up in Virginia before heading off to college, where they faced one another as Atlantic Coast Conference rivals. Now, they're first-year NFL starters eagerly anticipating their initial matchup as pros when the Bills (4-8) visit the Bucs (3-9) on Sunday.

"I know EJ really well. Our families know each other. It's pretty cool to be playing against him now at this level," said Glennon, a third-round draft pick out of North Carolina State who's thrown for a Tampa Bay rookie record 1,962 yards and 13 TDs in nine starts.

"We didn't play against each other (in high school). I still remember, in the state semifinals, we played against a school right near him and he came to the game just to watch me. He's a great guy. His parents are great people," Glennon added. "It's just neat that, through high school, you don't know what's going to happen, and then college we played each other, and now again in the NFL."

Manuel was Buffalo's first-round pick following a standout career at Florida State, where he faced Glennon twice. The Seminoles trounced N.C. State 34-0 at home in their junior season, and Glennon overcame a 16-0 deficit in leading the Wolfpack to a 17-16 victory over previously unbeaten FSU in 2012.

"I don't think there's much that tops that. They were the No. 3 team in the country at the time ... and to come back, that was definitely one of my best football experiences ever," Glennon said.

Manuel has thrown for 1,595 yards with nine TDs and four interceptions in eight games. He started the first five of the season, missed four because of injury and returned to start the past three. He's coming off consecutive games in which he's combined to throw for three touchdowns with no picks.

"My thought has been to just get better each game. Obviously, we've lost a lot more games than we've won, so that's always disappointing. But for me, it's always just get better each game," Manuel said.

"I'm looking forward to getting down there and playing against Mike," the Bills quarterback added. "He's been doing well, so I look forward to going out and have a good game."

Glennon, who's thrown five interceptions in 290 passes, took over as Tampa Bay's starter after the team stumbled to a 0-3 start under Josh Freeman, who was benched and subsequently released.

The rookie lost five straight before finally stopping the slide with a three-game winning streak that created some hope for a brighter second half of the season.

"I think we have a lot more similarities than people think," Manuel said. "We both throw the ball well, and try to stretch it vertically, and do different things like that."